The Railway Board has approved Rs 396.04 crore for doubling the 32km Ranaghat–Bongaon railway line under Eastern Railway’s Sealdah Division.

This infrastructure project aims to enhance passenger and freight movement while boosting cross-border trade via the Petrapole Land Port near the India-Bangladesh border. The line, currently operating at 114 percent capacity, serves as a key corridor connecting Nadia and North 24- Parganas districts. The upgrade is expected to allow 10 additional passenger trains in each direction daily and handle 0.88 million tonne of extra freight annually, potentially generating Rs 8.66 crore in additional revenue.

The work will cover nine stations and include constructing two Limited Height Subways — between Ranaghat–Majhergram and Majhergram–Gopalnagar. Ranaghat lies on the Sealdah–Krishnanagar–Lalgola route, while Bongaon connects with the Sealdah–Petrapole corridor. The project will ease congestion, reduce delays, and meet the rising demand for efficient transit in this rapidly developing region.